Prelims Focus 28th July 2026

Sone River

In News: Bihar and Jharkhand are set to sign a historic water-sharing agreement allocating the Sone River water 5.75 million acre-feet (MAF) to Bihar and 2.0 MAF to Jharkhand, finally resolving a 25-year deadlock and clearing the path for the long-delayed Indrapuri Reservoir Project.   

About the Sone River (Geographical Facts) 

• Status: A major perennial southern tributary of the Ganga River (second only to the Yamuna among southern peninsular tributaries joining the Ganga). 
• Alias: Known as Hiranyavaha due to its golden-hued sand, historically believed to contain traces of gold dust. 
• Origin: Rises from the Amarkantak Hills (Maikal Range) in Madhya Pradesh, close to the Narmada River’s source. 
• Course: Flows north-northwest into Madhya Pradesh, turns sharply eastwards near the Kaimur Range, and joins the Ganga upstream of Patna (Bihar). 
• States Traversed: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar. 
• Major Tributaries: North Koel, Rihand, Kanhar, Banas, and Gopad. 
• Key Structures: Bansagar Dam (MP), Rihand Dam (UP), and Indrapuri Barrage (Bihar). 

DWEEPTI Yojana

In News: Chhattisgarh launched the  DWEEPTI Yojana (Decentralised Women Empowerment on Energy and Policy for Transformative Inclusion), making it India’s first state to adopt a women-led distributed renewable energy policy. The scheme integrates women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into the solar sector as vendors, technicians, and entrepreneurs. 

Key Details 

• Partnership & Goal: Led by the state’s Panchayat and Rural Development Department and Transform Rural India, it focuses on clean energy, sustainability, and rural livelihoods. 
• 5-Year Targets: Aims for 5,000 women-led solar enterprises, 50,000 green jobs, and electrifying 10,000 public institutions. 
• Implementation: Trains “Solar Didis” for solar installation/maintenance and integrates 13 Cluster Level Federations as PM Surya Ghar vendors. 
• Significance: First state-level policy connecting SHGs to the solar value chain, supporting the Lakhpati Didi initiative.

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